Watermelon facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Watermelon
Watermelon
Watermelon cross section
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Cucurbitales
Family:	Cucurbitaceae
Genus:	Citrullus
Species:	C. lanatus
Binomial name
Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai
Watermelon output in 2005
Synonyms
List Anguria citrullus Mill. Citrullus amarus Schrad. Citrullus anguria (Duchesne) H.Hara Citrullus aquosus Schur Citrullus battich Forssk. Citrullus caffer Schrad. Citrullus caffrorum Schrad. Citrullus chodospermus Falc. & Dunal Citrullus citrullus H.Karst. Citrullus citrullus Small Citrullus edulis Spach Citrullus edulis Pangalo nom. illeg. Citrullus mucosospermus (Fursa) Fursa Citrullus pasteca Sageret Citrullus vulgaris Schrad. Colocynthis amarissima Schrad. nom. inval. Colocynthis amarissima Schltdl. Colocynthis citrullus (L.) Kuntze Colocynthis citrullus Fritsch Cucumis amarissimus Schrad. Cucumis citrullus (L.) Ser. Cucumis dissectus Decne. Cucumis edulis Steud. nom. inval. Cucumis laciniosus Eckl. ex Steud. Cucumis laciniosus Eckl. ex Schrad. Cucumis vulgaris (Schrad.) E.H.L.Krause Cucurbita anguria Duchesne Cucurbita caffra Eckl. & Zeyh. Cucurbita citrullus L. Cucurbita gigantea Salisb. Cucurbita pinnatifida Schrank Momordica lanata Thunb.

A watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) is a plant originally domesticated in Africa. It is a highly cultivated edible fruit worldwide, having more than 1,000 varieties. About 6% of a watermelon is sugar, which makes it very sweet. There are many different types of watermelon. Some have a green rind on the outside and a red-pink flesh on the inside, with brown seeds. Some can have yellow flesh, and some can be seedless. The green rind on the outside is not usually eaten, though it can be used as a vegetable. It can also be stewed or pickled. Most watermelons are oblong or spherical. In Japan, watermelons are grown in different shapes.

Health

Watermelons are a great source of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B6 and vitamin B1. They also contain potassium, magnesium, carotenoid antioxidant, and lycopene. Watermelon is very healthy.

Watermelon, being rich in vitamin C, so it strengthens the body’s immune system . The fruit also contains vitamin B6 that helps the immune system produce antibodies the vitamin A also helps in the formation of red blood cells. 10 Health Benefits of Eating Watermelon.

Images for kids

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  A tsamma in the Kalahari Desert

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  Still Life with Watermelons, Pineapple and Other Fruit by Albert Eckhout, a Dutch painter active in 17th-century Brazil

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  Seedless watermelon

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  Watermelon (an old cultivar) as depicted in a 17th-century painting, oil on canvas, by Giovanni Stanchi

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  Watermelon cubes

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  Watermelons with dark green rind, India

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  Watermelon flowers

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  Watermelon leaf

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  Watermelon plant close-up

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  Watermelon baller

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  Watermelon with yellow flesh

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  'Moon and stars' watermelon cultivar

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  Watermelon and other fruit in Boris Kustodiev's Merchant's Wife

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  Watermelon for sale

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  Watermelon out for sale in Maa Kochilei Market, Rasulgarh, Odisha, India

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  Watermelon grown in Buryatia, Siberia

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  Watermelon rind curry

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  Roasted and salted watermelon seeds

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  Watermelon seed under a microscope

See also

In Spanish: Melón de agua para niños